Virtual machines are becoming increasingly prevalent, and virtual machines and virtual machine environments frequently change. It is preferable for virtual machines to be compatible with various environments, and as a result, there are utilities to convert virtual machines from one environment to another. A challenge for virtual machine developers and virtual machine owners is that the virtual machines are easily copied and transferred to an unauthorized environment, and the developer or owner may never know the unauthorized copy was made. Because a virtual machine is not a physical item, theft detection and locating an unauthorized copy of a virtual machine is often difficult.
Current measures taken to stop unauthorized copies of virtual machines include many conventional methods to stop unauthorized copying of software. For example, virtual machines may be protected by copyright laws and license agreements. These laws and agreements may impose requirements on a virtual machine user such as restricting access authorized personnel. In addition, license agreements may impose procedures for keeping copies of virtual machines secured. However, these measures are inefficient and often ineffective in light of the intangible properties of a virtual machine, and the considerable difficulty in detecting whether an unauthorized copy of a virtual machine has been made.